Each year, Automotive News, the industry’s leading news source, recognizes a select group of talented auto retail leaders who are making a mark in the industry. The publication’s annual 40 Under 40 class features rising industry professionals for their achievements, contributions, and impact on the future of automotive retail.
We are pleased to share that two standout Hendrick Automotive Group teammates, Michael Dinardi and Nicole Moley, earned spots in the recently announced 2025 40 Under 40 class. Although their stories are different, Michael and Nicole share a remarkable ability to drive performance, create momentum, and positively influence the stores they lead and our organization as a whole.
For Michael Dinardi, his path into automotive retail began with a bit of impulse. He spent his early 20s working in upstate New York’s restaurant scene before a group of friends already working for Hendrick Automotive Group in Atlanta persuaded him to move down south and join them in the industry.
In 2013, at the age of 25, Michael took the leap.
“I filled out the application and before I was even hired, I packed up my car and drove down.”
That decision marked the beginning of a successful career at Hendrick. Dinardi held multiple roles in sales, finance, and retail operations, steadily ascending before accepting the general manager position at Rick Hendrick Buick GMC in Duluth, Ga.
Dinardi has led Rick Hendrick Buick GMC since 2019, and one of his proudest accomplishments is increasing employee retention. In 2024, the dealership’s retention rate neared 75%, a dramatic increase from when he began as general manager a few years earlier.
“I think retention is No. 1. You can’t do anything without good people.”
It’s this people-first mindset that has allowed Dinardi and his team to achieve success and navigate challenges, one of which occurred during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rick Henrick Buick GMC was Georgia’s top volume GMC dealer in 2020. In the years that followed, they adjusted sales strategies to meet the post-pandemic era, and in 2024, the dealership sold nearly a thousand new vehicles.
For Dinardi, however, success involves more than just metrics. It’s about working hard, strengthening employee relations, and using his leadership position to mentor his staff and help them reach their career goals.
“I like to put my everything into other people and give them the same opportunities that I was afforded. I thoroughly enjoy working. I thoroughly enjoy pushing myself to see what I can accomplish."
Similar to Dinardi, the automotive industry was never a part of Nicole Moley’s original plan. In fact, she studied to become a speech pathologist.
After graduating in 2014, Moley accepted a summer sales job at Mall of Georgia Mazda. Graduate school was supposed to follow in the fall, but Moley never left Hendrick.
“I realized that the opportunity in automotive was even greater than what I could have done in speech pathology."
Moley bet her future on automotive retail, and her bet paid off. In 2024, she became executive general manager of Hendrick Chevrolet Hoover and Hendrick Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM in Alabama. She was general manager of Hendrick Chevrolet Hoover since 2021, and its retail operations manager since 2020.
Under Moley’s leadership, Hendrick Chevrolet Hoover experienced remarkable improvements. From 2019 to 2023, the store’s net profit grew more than 1,000%, service profit rose 37%, and parts profit nearly doubled, thanks in large part to Moley’s focus on controlling expenses, strategic pricing, and new technician development programs.
As executive general manager, Moley is focused on building a culture of efficiency, customer service, and personal wellness. A former collegiate athlete, Moley prioritizes personal wellness. Her dealership initiatives include sponsored gym memberships, remote-operated standing desks at every workstation, and treadmill desks that promote light movement and circulation.
“We’re trying to focus on the health of our teammates,” she stated.
From part-time salesperson to executive general manager in just 10 years, Moley has quickly built a fulfilling career in automotive retail.
Among the many benefits of her job, one was a bit of a surprise as it gave Moley a new way to connect with her father, who used to sell drilling machinery.
“I’d hear him on the phone selling drills and parts and I can relate to that – selling parts out of the dealership – and so I just realized we have a lot more in common."
Michael and Nicole’s paths into the industry were far from traditional, but through hard work and a strong dedication to their teams, they’ve excelled and built meaningful, highly impactful careers in automotive retail.
Congratulations, Michael and Nicole, on this well-deserved honor, and thank you for your leadership and countless contributions to our organization. We are proud to have you on the Hendrick team!
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